Brett Callero

Brett Callero, a foundation studies professor at the Savannah College of Art and Design-Atlanta, traces his interest in the visual arts to piano lessons he took as a child.

"He hated those lessons and wanted to quit," he said in his biography."After watching him draw imaginary maps and flags, his mother made him an offer, ,You can quit piano lessons , if you start taking art lessons instead.' It was a deal."

At age nine, Callero began to study drawing and painting.He continued his artistic studies in college, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in visual communication from the University of Dayton.After graduation, he worked as a graphic designer, art director and art teacher of both adults and teenagers.

Callero earned a Master of Fine Arts degree from SCAD in 2004, graduating magna cum laude from the painting department.He worked as a freelance graphic designer, sang for a rock band and served as a SCAD Radio deejay during his time as a student.He also painted a mural on the wall of the Turner House convenience store.

Since relocating to SCAD-Atlanta, where he teaches foundation studies and painting courses, he has continued to create work in a variety of media, including installation, painting, graphic design, fictional maps and "remakes" , "my name for my paintings that incorporate digital processes," he explained.

The nature of his work reflects and comments on ways in which American culture transmits information and meaning, he said.

"Mediated imagery and filtered information are still prevalent throughout our culture.Fact and fiction are clouded by our news programs, where stories are assigned logos and theme songs," Callero explained.
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"What our culture considers reality is becoming less real," Callero explained.
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"The self-motivated student will discover that this kind of free-form creativity will help them subconsciously when they focus on a particular project or specific idea down the road," Callero said."Many students continue working in their Thought Books long after they complete my class."

He emphasizes the importance for them of keeping in touch with their own creative inspiration and goals.

"I always remind students that in their future careers, they will most likely be paid to create something for someone else.After many years, this can be very draining if you don't have something you make that you can completely call your own," he explained."Therefore, maintaining authority over at least a small part of your creative output is of the utmost importance to creative survival."

Another assignment he gives his 2-D Design students is a Mediascape Research and Presentation project, for which they each take at least 100 photos using digital cameras."Students are looking for evidence of design in the mediascape, which as we know is literally everywhere," he explained."This project is designed to make students start looking at their surroundings with an eye for design all the time."

He added, "I also tell students that no idea is completely bad or totally useless.

Brett Callero
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Brett CalleroSavannah College of Art and Design

Callero exhibits both process and finished product

"Nice Girls" by Brett Callero are on display at aquaspace, Jan. 17-23, as part of "Sometimes Almost Always."
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To celebrate the completion of his course work and to finalize his thesis, graduate painting student Brett Callero offers "Sometimes Almost Always,"an exhibition consisting of mixed-media paintings, a large-scale collage installation and a computer generated installation with dozens of conceptual sketches.As Callero plans to return to his hometown of Chicago after winter quarter, "Sometimes Almost Always" is the final opportunity to view work completed by the artist while he is a student at SCAD.

"I am a mixed-media artist in both the literal and figurative sense," said Callero."Since I am coming completely from a postmodern point of view, the journey is as important as the destination.In other words, the process is as important as anything visually tangible … By referencing pop culture, the vernacular and my own personal life experience, I create original work in order to manipulate it and create it again… Comprehensive documentation of the originals with a digital camera and computer programs are integral parts of the process.Ultimately everything becomes a perpetual cycle of recontextualization - like a self-propelled engine."

According to Callero, culture is increasingly manufactured by society."Therefore we only know how to rediscover and reinvent through our contradictory and hypocritical natures," he said."Knowledge is rarely acquired from personal experience or interaction.Instead we learn from mediated imagery and filtered information custom made for whatever demographic market we fit into.By revealing the free association of information present throughout the creative process I investigate the shifting properties of meaning through context."

To that end, Callero relies heavily on mediated imagery, evidenced by the blurred lines between painting, drawing and photography in the artist's work."The further manipulation of mediated imagery in order to redefine is the core of all of my work," he said."My thesis show is an opportunity to display the entire spectrum of my concepts - from installation to finished paintings.I consider my paintings to be products of the process, so this is an ideal exhibition because it includes all the elements that lead up to a remake, a final piece."

Although Callero expressed a desire for positive audience reaction, he said he would gladly accept a negative response as well."That means they were actually looking," he said.

Callero exhibits both process and finished product

“Nice Girls”,Nice Girls, by Brett Callero are on display at aquaspace, Jan. 17-23, as part of ,Sometimes Almost Always.,
...
To celebrate the completion of his course work and to finalize his thesis, graduate painting student Brett Callero offers ,Sometimes Almost Always,,an exhibition consisting of mixed-media paintings, a large-scale collage installation and a computer generated installation with dozens of conceptual sketches.As Callero plans to return to his hometown of Chicago after winter quarter, ,Sometimes Almost Always, is the final opportunity to view work completed by the artist while he is a student at SCAD.

,I am a mixed-media artist in both the literal and figurative sense,, said Callero. ,Since I am coming completely from a postmodern point of view, the journey is as important as the destination.In other words, the process is as important as anything visually tangible , By referencing pop culture, the vernacular and my own personal life experience, I create original work in order to manipulate it and create it again, Comprehensive documentation of the originals with a digital camera and computer programs are integral parts of the process.Ultimately everything becomes a perpetual cycle of recontextualization , like a self-propelled engine.,

According to Callero, culture is increasingly manufactured by society. ,Therefore we only know how to rediscover and reinvent through our contradictory and hypocritical natures,, he said. ,Knowledge is rarely acquired from personal experience or interaction.Instead we learn from mediated imagery and filtered information custom made for whatever demographic market we fit into.By revealing the free association of information present throughout the creative process I investigate the shifting properties of meaning through context.,

To that end, Callero relies heavily on mediated imagery, evidenced by the blurred lines between painting, drawing and photography in the artist,s work. ,The further manipulation of mediated imagery in order to redefine is the core of all of my work,, he said. ,My thesis show is an opportunity to display the entire spectrum of my concepts , from installation to finished paintings.I consider my paintings to be products of the process, so this is an ideal exhibition because it includes all the elements that lead up to a remake, a final piece.,

Although Callero expressed a desire for positive audience reaction, he said he would gladly accept a negative response as well. ,That means they were actually looking,, he said. ,I want people to look and think of things a little differently than usual , just different for themselves, not in any particular way.

Jill Spears, Martin Kalfs, Brett Callero, David Moran, Matt Corder, Raj Jeshang, Will Thrasher and Shawn Dunbar -- we salute you!
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Brett Callero, host of "The Fuzz Factory" While certainly no teddy bear, Brett has been SCAD Radio's fuzziest DJ since the launch of his specialty show, "The Fuzz Factory," over a year ago. (The show was awarded Best Specialty Show this year at the annual Student Media award ceremony.) Brett will be leaving a gaping hole in the Saturday night line-up when he graduates this quarter with an M.F.A. in painting.